Hwang Bo-Reum in conversation with Catalina Tejero

What happens when we step away from the life we are expected to live and begin searching for the life we truly want? This is the question at the heart of Hwang Bo-Reum’s internationally acclaimed novel Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, a publishing phenomenon that has captivated readers around the world with its warmth, wisdom and quiet humanity.

In conversation with Catalina Tejero, Dean of IE School of Arts & Humanities, Hwang reflects on the themes that have made her work resonate across cultures: burnout, loneliness, friendship, community, and the healing power of books. Set in a small bookshop in a Seoul neighbourhood, her novel follows people who have lost their way and discover new possibilities through literature, conversation and human connection.

The event will be presented by Javier Gila, president of the AIDA Foundation, an organisation which, amongst other projects, collects and sells second-hand books to raise funds for charitable initiatives.

At the end of the event, the author will be signing copies of her book

Event in English with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish